This time, imprisonment has been awarded to more than one person. They include Udey Raj Singh, MD, Amarjit Singh, CMD, Kashmir Singh, manager-cum-director, and Prehlad Gulati, director. They have also been asked to a pay a fine of Rs 10,000 each within 30 days.

In its order on November 27, 2015, the forum had directed them to refund Rs 421,875 to the complainant, Vishwa Mohan Joshi of Shimla, along with an interest at 12% per annum from the respective dates of deposit till realization. It had also asked them to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment and Rs 7,000 as costs of litigation.

Joshi had booked a plot in UK Home’s project Capital Greens on Zirakpur-Patiala Highway by paying Rs 4,21,875. However, plans of layout, zoning and building were not approved by the competent authority nor any licence to develop site issued under the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, Joshi stated in his complaint, adding that approval and NOC were also not taken.

He requested the developers to refund deposited amount, but to no avail despite service of legal notice. The complainant also filed an affidavit in support of his allegations.

An order was passed and the builders were told to comply within 45 days, but they failed to do so and Joshi filed an execution application. Notice under Section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, was issued to builders, directing them to present themselves in the forum to answer the allegations of non-compliance of the order. They failed to turn up.

The forum held: “We are compelled to believe that the builders have no desire to comply with the order even after application of coercive methods to procure their presence and issuing proclamation through publication. This clearly indicates that the builders are wilfully evading compliance of the order.”

Holding them guilty, the forum awarded imprisonment and fine.

On July 19, too, the forum had sentenced Amarjit Singh of UK Homes to two years’ imprisonment in another case of non-compliance of its orders.

Currently, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied at 12 per cent on payments made for under-construction property or ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate has not been issued at the time of sale.